The Shrouded Abyss
by ancientmaverick
Summary: Tag to The Shroud. Jack and Daniel 'discuss' a few comments Daniel made as a Prior.


_AN: I started writing this after _The Shroud_ because I thought Daniel's words to Jack were a little harsh. Plus, they never dealt with what happened in_ Abyss_. I lost motivation, though, and didn't finish it until now. This takes place immediately after the episode. Enjoy!_

SG1

The quiet hum of the ship's infirmary should have been soothing, but to Daniel, it was the equivalent of a death-metal band. Sam had insisted he remain here for the return journey to Earth, intending for him to get some rest after his ordeal as a Prior of the Ori.

Rest, however, was decidedly elusive. The past few weeks had been hell, and the decisions he'd made, though necessary, left a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. There were many things he wished had never happened, and the knowledge that he could never take them back made him feel as though his soul may finally be irredeemable.

"Hey."

Daniel looked up, sighing imperceptibly as he saw Jack enter. As his oldest and best friend, Jack was numero uno on Daniel's list of things he had to apologize for. But, being who they were, and having the colored history that they did, Daniel knew perfectly well the routine they would go through before reconciliation could take place.

"Jack."

"Daniel."

"Did you get bored on the bridge, or did the others kick you out?"

"Little of both. Carter is figuring out the cloak, Vala and Teal'c decided to partake of the lovely selections in the mess hall, and Mitchell is dinking around in the 302 bay."

"Sounds familiar."

"Yeah, about that. Sunshine?"

"I have no idea."

"I like Spacemonkey better."

"Me, too."

Jack shifted, uncomfortable with the soft agreement Daniel had made. He was futzing with the rules of the conversation, and Jack was determined to follow them to the letter.

"So…"

"Yeah. How are things in Washington?"

"The usual. Lots of meetings. I try to pay attention when the President is there."

"Hope I didn't pull you away from anything too important."

"Pretty sure this trumped whatever was on my desk at the moment. Sam was in tears when she called me. Do you have any idea what was going through my head at that moment?"

And there it was. Sooner than Daniel had expected, but not soon enough that he knew it couldn't be fixed.

"I'm sorry, Jack."

"Didn't quite catch that, _Sunshine_."

"I said I'm sorry! What else can I say?"

Jack's eyes hardened. "You disappear for weeks after you invite a dead guy to share your head and a scary lady with an _army_ tosses you around. Speaking of, I thought we had an understanding, Daniel. No more weird alien chicks! I already have enough gray hair. And then, as if that's not enough, you come back with some half-assed plan to save the galaxy, and get pissed off because I tell you we need more time. Refresh my memory, Dannyboy, what exactly do you have to be sorry for?"

Daniel rolled his eyes. "Jack, I had to do what was necessary to stop the Ori. You know that." He shifted uncomfortably. "But you're right. I should have told you what was going on. And I shouldn't have…said what I said."

Jack rubbed absently at his chest. Realizing what he was doing, he put his hand down and sat on one of the stools. "I told you once that I was over it. Do you remember?"

"It was the day I remembered what happened. I knew you were lying."

"And I knew you knew. I never told anyone what happened, Daniel. I wanted to hate you for that, but I couldn't, because you came back and you didn't remember what had happened. And suddenly, I was free of that, because I didn't have to think about it every time I saw you."

"But then I remembered." Daniel looked at Jack as though fully comprehending him for the first time in years.

"Yes. You remembered. And I told you it didn't matter, that I was over it. I thought I was lying, thought I would never be over it. But then I realized, I really was over it. I had my best friend back, and I _understood_ why you did it." Jack scrubbed his fingers through his hair. "I liked having you back, Daniel. Even when I went to Washington, I knew you were there, would always be there. And then you weren't."

"Because you thought I was dead."

Jack laughed humorlessly. "No, Daniel. You being dead didn't hurt nearly as much as thinking that everything that made you so _you_ was gone. I didn't want to believe that the Prior you was actually you, because I thought the Daniel I knew would never say _that_."

Daniel sat silently, long after Jack had finished. In truth, it was starting to worry Jack, because he'd never intended to say any of that, but Daniel was so _Daniel_, and for some reason, he had always been able to make Jack do things he didn't want to do. It was part of why their friendship, as odd as it might seem, worked so well. Daniel made Jack see beyond what was around them, while Jack was there to keep Daniel's feet on the ground.

Finally, Daniel sighed, and looked up at him. "You do realize that if I were anyone else, I wouldn't have understood a word of what you just said."

And just like that, all was right with the world again. Jack grinned, certain in the knowledge that this would never be an issue between them again. Daniel, though, gripped Jack's arm.

"I'm sorry."

Jack knew then just how much this whole ordeal had affected Daniel. He could see that his best friend was close to tears, so he did the only thing he could. He brought his hands up to frame Daniel's face, and looked him straight in the eye.

"I never doubted it for a second, Spacemonkey."

Daniel laughed then, through the tears that were threatening to spill down his cheeks. He winced a little, laying back on the pillows, but still laughing despite the pain.

Jack leaned back, his most important job as best friend done for the day. He grinned as he was struck by a sudden thought, and decided that Daniel was ready for the second most important job of best friend.

"So did you and Adria…you know?"


End file.
